@kabads, you may want to follow:
However, I believe that most predicted changes have, since, been reverted, after Google’s recent consultation with the European Union.
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Curve uses Google Pay under the hood, so it is just another data broker on top of Google Pay.
Same with Openbank.
Furthermore, Curve got acquired by PayPal.
Our European payment systems currently rely on Visa and Mastercard, which is terrible for our privacy.
Hopefully the digital Euro can be used to gain financial independence back (from a European sovereignty PoV).
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The real point isn’t whether FairPhone will speak up or not, it is whether we as users will revolt: https://keepandroidopen.org/
Developers will cease to create apps because the “marketplace” disappears. And yes, it is a marketplace, because many of them receive at least voluntary donations, there are not only “freeloaders” out there. And probably also stop developing apps because they see no value any longer
We do not need a digital Euro, but there is something that could become a solution:
wero - https://wero-wallet.eu/
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Curve Pay does not use Google Pay. It’s a completely separate service that works even without Google Pay installed.
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The latest update from Google: Google confirms 'high-friction' sideloading flow is coming to Android - Android Authority
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Thirty-seven technology companies, nonprofits, and civil society groups urge Google to drop ID checks for apps distributed outside Google Play according to The Register. Among these organisations are Article 19, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Free Software Foundation, F-Droid, Fastmail, and Vivaldi, According to The Register, the organisations object to Google requiring Android devs who seek to distribute apps through alternative channels to first seek permission from Google, to agree to Google’s terms and conditions, to pay a fee, and upload government-issued identification.
The article can be here.
Some additional info from F-Droid can be found here
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A very troubling news coming from Google. From september 2026 onwards, it will be impossible to install an app that is not cleared by Google.
Every and all app developer will be required to submit a fee and a government ID to Google. This put directly every hope of having a somewhat degoogled phone under immense threat of de-certification and losing access to many apps and services.
This is a trend that was already underway : the consolidation of Google’s monopoly in Android development and support. And now, the coup de grâce comes in the form of a security/certification issue.
In other words, f-droid would cease to exist in its current form. It would be impossible to install free open-source apps whose developer did not pay Google for the privilege. Google could control which apps are allowed on all Android phones (and would not allow Newpipe, for instance). Sideloading would be outlawed.
There’s an open letter opposing this (see above), and a Change.org petition. The online discourse is rife with people minimizing this, calling it a fake panic, and calling the critics “doomers”.
What is Fairphone’s stance on this? Will the e-os version have to be re-googled? Will gapps continue to work? Where can we turn to now, if we want to control our devices?
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What Murena’s community manager Manoj replied on a similar question on the /e/ forum a few hours ago (also note a previous reply of his some hours earlier in the same topic):
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Moved your posts here, it’s the same topic.
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But this statement may prove to be the really problematic point:
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Please read and help to keep Android open.
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@Meaghan Could you forward to the team that having Fairphone also pledge for Keep Android Open would be a pretty dope PR move and just showing fairphone’s commitment to being open!
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Moved above posts from Keep Android open
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Techlore on Odysee: I Signed a Letter to Google. Here’s Why.
Episode webpage: I Signed a Letter to Google. Here's Why.
It seems there is some misunderstanding about the community forum moderators role. Our role is not to be a link between community and company (decision makers), so if you want them to take actions you have to use official communication routes.
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Alternatively, here we could ask @Fairphone_CM to forward this wish of at least some forum members to FP
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google will soon be blocking apps from android that don’t pass a number of checks (including a requirement to pay them)
another reason to boycott or otherwise not support their ridiculous nonsense
Google certification will be the crux of the issue.
Taking aside the fact that consumer/stock phones will be cut off from free software, there still is the option to have a phone whose operating system is not certified (i guess whether it will be possible to have gapps or minimal google stuff)
But banking apps are already finicky about unrooted phones, and our gouvernements are trying to set up a digital identity providing app. what will be the effect of de-certification on those use cases?
Of course banks are careful. Would you use a client app for you banking anyway? 7 wouldn’t. And so far I didn’t came across any client or mod version of my bank..